User information processing unit, user information processing system, terminal unit, apparatus and method for providing information

ABSTRACT

A user information processing method, an apparatus thereof and a user information processing system in which personal information can be more effectively employed. Terminal use record information is obtained when a user employs terminal units. The profile information of the user is generated on the basis of the accumulated terminal use record information and the generated profile information is stored, so that information peculiar to the user can be provided on the basis of the stored profile information of the user.

RELATED APPLICATION DATA

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/826,878, filed Jun. 30, 2010 which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 09/594,284, filed Jun. 15, 2000, the entireties ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference to the extent permitted bylaw. The present application also claims priority to Japanese PatentApplication No. 11-182516 filed in the Japanese Patent Office on Jun.28, 1999.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a user information processing unit, auser information processing system, a terminal unit, an informationprovider and a method for providing information, and more particularly,is suitably applied to a user information processing unit, a userinformation processing system, a terminal unit, an information providerand a method for providing information, in which the profile informationof a user employing various kinds of terminal units is generated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

In a system which supplies characteristic information to a user by usingthe personal information of the user who employs a terminal unit, theaccumulating means of the information has been hitherto provided ineither a provider side as information providing means or a terminal sideas information receiving means.

In the case where the provider side has personal information, a userneeds to provide the personal information for each provider or itsservice. Therefore, when the user utilizes a new personal informationusing service, he needs to re-transmit the personal information to theprovider. Further, in the case where the provider side accumulates thepersonal information, it needs to store the security thereof. Stillfurther, in the case where the provider side accumulates the personalinformation, when terminal unit tries to employ the personalinformation, the terminal unit needs to be connected to the providerevery time and receive the personal information. Still further, in thecase where the provider side accumulates the personal information, whenthe user changes the provider, this change has made it difficult to usthe personal information which has been accumulated.

As described above, in the case where the personal information isaccumulated in the provider side, the accumulation has caused problemsin that it becomes inconveniently necessary to ensure the security ofthe personal information and perform troublesome processing depending onuse methods.

Still further, in the case where the personal information is accumulatedin the terminal unit side, when the user changes the terminal unitemployed by himself, the change has caused problems in that it becomesdifficult to use the personal information which has been accumulated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is toprovide a user information processing unit, a user informationprocessing system, a terminal unit, an information provider and a methodfor providing information capable of more effectively employing personalinformation.

The foregoing object and other objects of the invention have beenachieved by the provision of a user information processing unit, aterminal unit, an information provider in which terminal use recordinformation upon use of a terminal unit by a user is accumulated, theprofile information of the user is produced on the basis of theaccumulated terminal use record information and the produced profileinformation is stored, so that information peculiar to the user can beprovided on the basis of the profile information of the user thusstored.

The nature, principle and utility of the invention will become moreapparent from the following detailed description when read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts aredesignated by like reference numerals or characters.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic connection diagram showing the entireconfiguration of a network system using a user information processingunit according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a memory card;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the memory map of the memory card;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the data format of the memory card;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a television set;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a personalcomputer;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a cellular phone;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a broadcastingradio receiver;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a profileanalysis server;

FIG. 10 is a schematic view for explaining a profile forming process;

FIG. 11 is a schematic view for explaining a profile forming process;

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing the arrangement example of componentsaccording to an embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing the arrangement example of componentsaccording to another embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a schematic connection view showing the entire configurationof a network according to another embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing the arrangement example of componentsaccording to another embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing the arrangement example of componentsof another embodiment; and

FIG. 17 is a schematic view showing effects in respective arrangementexamples of the components.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

Preferred embodiments of this invention will be described with referenceto the accompanying drawings:

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 generally denotes a network system. Aservice provider 21 is connected to a telephone line 15 and a cellularphone line 33 through an access server 23.

To the telephone line 15, a television set 13 and a personal computer(PC) 12 as terminal units are connected through a modem 14. Thetelevision set 13 and the personal computer 12 can have access to theservice provider 21 through the telephone line 15. Further, to thecellular phone line 33, a cellular phone 31 is connected through a basestation 32. The cellular phone 31 can have access to the serviceprovider 21 through the cellular phone line 33.

In addition thereto, the service provider 21 is connected to an Internet41 through a server 24. A network 45 composed of the Local Area Network(LAN) of, for instance, a company or the like connected to the Internet41 by a private line can have access to the service provider 21 throughthe Internet 41. In this case, the personal computer 47 of the network45 is connected to the Internet 41 through a fire wall 46, hence a thirdparty is prevented from externally invading the network 45.

Still further, to the service provider 21, connected is a contentsprovider 50 designed to transmit various kinds of information.Broadcasting signals transmitted from the contents provider 50 aresupplied to a variety of terminal units through antennas 52, 54, 55 and56 and a satellite 53.

Here, each of the terminal units (the television set 13, the personalcomputers 12 and 47, the cellular phone 31 and a broadcasting radioreceiver 61) is provided with a slot on which a memory card of aPersonal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA)standard as storing means is mounted. When a user operates theseterminal units, he mounts a memory card 11 individually possessed byhimself on the terminal unit operated by him. The memory card 11comprises, as shown in FIG. 2, a connector 11B mounted on the slot ofeach terminal unit and a memory 11A connected to the connector 11Bthrough a bus.

The memory 11A is adapted to store various pieces of informationpeculiar to the user having the memory card 11 in areas designated by amemory map shown in FIG. 3. More specifically, a first area AR11 of thestoring areas of the memory 11A is an area for storing networkconnection information for connecting the terminal unit with the memorycard 11 mounted to the network, and is designed to store a user ID and apassword to be certified by the service provider 21 and a password foridentifying the user which is previously registered by the useremploying the memory card 11. The password for identifying the userindicates information to be compared with a password inputted by theuser every time the user mounts the memory card 11 on the terminal unit,and is employed in order to decide whether or not the user at that timeis a proper user who employs the memory card 11.

Further, a second area AR12 is an area for storing additionalinformation down-loaded when a variety of services (provision ofinformation, etc.) are received on the network from, for instance, theservice provider 21 by utilizing the terminal unit on which the memorycard 11 is mounted.

Still further, a third area AR13 is an area for storing informationinherent in the user having the memory card 11 such as an address book,schedule data, etc.

Still further, a fourth area AR14 is an area for storing usableinformation for each terminal unit with the memory card 11 mounted. Forinstance, a television program schedule used when the terminal unit onwhich the memory card 11 is mounted is the television set 13, UniformResource Locator (URL) information for viewing an explanation on theWorld Wide Web (WWW) for each television program, a sentence beingedited which is read and written, a screen or data such as a programwhich is being developed when the terminal unit on which the memory card11 is mounted is the personal computer 12, or the data of a charactermail service, etc. transmitted and received when the terminal unit withthe memory card 11 mounted is the cellular phone 31 are respectivelystored therein.

Still further, a fifth area AR15 is an area for storing us loginformation indicative of use record when the user having the memorycard 11 employs the terminal unit by mounting the memory card 11 thereonand a result obtained by analyzing profile information indicative of thetendency of taste of the user or the like having the memory card 11 onthe basis of the use log information in the profile analysis server 22of the service provider 21.

Data stored in the memory 11A of the memory card 11 is stored in a TypeLength Value (TLV) form shown in, for example, in FIG. 4. This format isindicative of the format of data stored in the respective areas (AR11 toAR15) of the memory map described above with reference to FIG. 3. Thestored data comprises type information D11, data length information D12and value information D13 for each area (AR11 to AR15).

In this case, as the type information D11 of the data of the first areaAR11 of the memory 11A, a code “00” representing network connectioninformation is assigned. As the value information D13 of the first areaAR, information such as a user ID and a password, etc. is stored. Then,the format of a TLV form is further generated for each of the user IDsor the passwords stored as the value information D13 and respectivelyforms type information D13A, data length information D13B and valueinformation D13C.

Further, in the second area AR12 of the memory 11A, a code “01”representing network additional information is assigned as the typeinformation D11 of the data. As the value information of the second areaAR12, is stored information such as a group ID and the password thereofas additional information down-loaded when various kinds of services(provision of information or the like) are received on the network fromthe service provider 21 or the contents provider 50. The group ID isidentifying information utilized when a plurality of users employing theterminal unit form a specific group. Then, the format of a TLV form isfurther generated for each of group IDs and passwords thereof stored asthe value information D13 and respectively forms type information D13A,data length information D13B and value information D13C.

Still further, in the third area AR13 of the memory 11A, a code “02”expressing personal information is assigned as the type information D11of data. As the value information of the third area AR13, informationsuch as the data of telephone directory, address book data and personalschedule data, etc. which are peculiarly employed by the user having thememory card 11 is stored. Then, the format of a TLV form is furthergenerated for each of the data of the telephone directory, address bookdata and the personal schedule data, etc. and respectively forms typeinformation D13A, data length information D13B and value informationD13C.

Still further, in the fourth area AR14 of the memory 11A, as the typeinformation D11 of data, a code “03” representing information for eachterminal is assigned. As the value information of the fourth area AR14,information such as the attributes of various kinds of terminal units isstored as information used for each terminal unit on which the memorycard 11 is mounted. Then, the format of a TLV form is further generatedfor each information such as the attributes of various kinds of terminalunits stored as the value information D13, and respectively forms typeinformation D13A, data length information D13B and value informationD13C.

Furthermore, in the fifth area AR15 of the memory 11A, the use log andprofile information are accumulated as the type information D11. Then,the format of a TLV form is further generated for each of the variouskinds of data stored as the value information D13, and respectivelyforms type information D13A, data length information D13B and valueinformation D13C.

Here, as a first terminal unit, the television set 13 comprises, asshown in FIG. 5, a CPU 13A, a memory 13B, a memory card (MC) interface(INF) 13C, a communication interface (INF) 13D, a receiving circuit part(RF) 13E, an output part 13F and a GPS receiving part 13H which areconnected to a data bus. The CPU 13A is adapted to carry out variouskinds of operations in accordance with operation programs stored in thememory 13B and to control the respective circuit parts in accordancewith the operations.

The Radio Frequency (RF) part 13E receives a television broadcast waveS_(RF) received by an antenna (not shown) and transmits a receivingsignal S13E thus received to the output part 13F. The output part 13Fapplies an intermediate frequency amplification processing and an imagedetection processing or the like to the receiving signal S13E togenerate a television video signal S_(TV) and transmit it to a CathodeRay Tube (CRT) display 13G. Thus, the television broadcast received bythe RF part 13E is visually displayed on the display screen of the CRT13G.

Further, the GPS receiving part 13H is adapted to specify the positionof the television set 13 on the basis of the correlation of signalstransmitted from a plurality of satellites.

In this case, when the user operating the television set 13 mounts thememory card 11 possessed by himself on a slot (not shown) for the memorycard, the memory card interface 13C is brought to a state in which itcan transmit and receive various kinds of data from and to the memorycard 11. The memory card interface 13C is composed of a serial interfaceand has at least three data lines. The first data line transmits a clocksignal upon transmission of data. The second data line transmits astatus signal necessary for transmission of data. The third data linetransmits serially data to be written in or read from the memory card11.

Then, the CPU 13A accumulates the attribute information of a programincluded in a program viewed by the user and time thereof and a programbroadcasting signal while the memory card 11 is mounted on the slot, theidentifying information and positional information of the television set13, or the like in the fifth area AR15 (FIG. 3) of the memory 11A of thememory card 11 as use record information (use log).

As a second terminal unit, the personal computer 12 comprises, as shownin FIG. 6, a CPU 12A, a memory 12B, a memory card (MC) interface (INF)12C, a communication interface (INF) 12D, a display part 12E and a GPSreceiving part 12H which are connected to a data bus. The CPU 12A isadapted to perform various kinds of operations in accordance withoperation programs stored in the memory 12B and to control therespective circuit parts in accordance with the operations. A variety ofprocessing contents of the CPU 12A are displayed on the display part 12Ecomposed of a liquid crystal display panel or the like.

Further, the GPS receiving part 12H is adapted to specify the positionof the personal computer 12 on the basis of the correlation of signalstransmitted from a plurality of satellites.

Then, while the memory card 11 is mounted on the slot, the CPU 12Aaccumulates Internet search information obtained by the user who hasaccess to the Internet, the time thereof, the attribute of the searchinformation included in the received search information, the identifyinginformation and positional information of the personal computer 12 orthe like in the fifth area AR 15 (FIG. 3) of the memory 11A of thememory card 11 as the use record information (use log).

Further, the personal computer 47 connected to the network 45 configuredin the company or the like has a configuration similar to that of thepersonal computer 12 described above with reference to FIG. 6. The CPUof the personal computer 47 accumulates Internet search information towhich the user has access while the memory card 11 is mounted on theslot, the time thereof, the attribute of the information included in thereceived search information, the identifying information and positionalinformation of the personal computer 47, etc. in the fifth area AR 15(FIG. 3) of the memory 11A of the memory card 11 as the use recordinformation (use log).

Further, as a third terminal unit, the cellular phone 31 comprises, asshown in FIG. 7, a CPU 31A, a memory 31B, a memory card (MC) interface(INF) 31C, a transmitting and receiving circuit part (RF) 31E fortransmitting and receiving a signal between a cellular phone line 33 andit, a base band processing part 31D for converting a Radio Frequency(RF) signal received in the transmitting and receiving circuit part 31Einto a base band signal and converting the base band signal to betransmitted into an RF signal, a Man Machine Interface (MMI) part 31F asthe interface of a microphone 31G and a speaker 31H, a display part 31I,a keyboard 31J and a GPS receiving part 31M which are connected to adata bus.

The CPU 31A is designed to execute various kinds of operations on thebasis of operation programs stored in the memory 31B and to controlrespective circuit parts in accordance with the operations. The contentsof various types of operations of the CPU 31A are displayed on thedisplay part 31I composed of a liquid crystal display panel or the likeas required.

Further, the GPS receiving part 31M is designed to specify the positionof the cellular phone 31 on the basis of the correlation of signalstransmitted from a plurality of satellites.

When the user inputs the telephone number of a desired called party, thekeyboard 31J transmits data indicating the telephone number to the CPU31A. The CPU 31A transmits a connection request to the called partyrepresented by the telephone number inputted by the user through thetransmitting and receiving circuit part 31E. At this time, the cellularphone line 33 connects a line to the called party in accordance with theresponse of the called party. When the line is connected to the calledparty, the transmitting and receiving circuit part 31E supplies an RFsignal received from the called party through an antenna (not shown) tothe base band processing part 31D in which the RF signal is convertedinto the base band signal. The base band processing part 31D suppliesthe base band signal thus converted to the MMI part 31F, so that anaudio signal received from the called party is outputted from thespeaker 31H as a voice.

Further, when the user inputs the voice through the microphone 31G, theMMI part 31F supplies the input audio signal supplied from themicrophone 31G to the base band processing part 31D in which the baseband signal is converted into the RF signal. Then, the base bandprocessing part 31D transmits the converted RF signal to the cellularphone line 33 through the transmitting and receiving circuit part 31E totransmit the RF signal to the called party to which the line isconnected. Thus, the user employing the cellular phone 31 can transmitand receive various dialogue or information between the called party andthe user.

Then, while the memory card 11 is mounted on the slot, the CPU 31Aaccumulates a party called by the user, the contents of an informationproviding service used by the user, the time thereof, the attribute ofthe information included in actually received provided information, theidentifying information and positional information of the cellular phone31 or the like in the fifth area AR15 (FIG. 3) of the memory 11A of thememory card 11 as the use record information (use log).

Further, as a fourth terminal unit, a broadcasting radio receiver 61has, as shown in FIG. 8, a configuration in which a CPU 61A, a memorycard (MC) interface 61C, a display part 611, a tuner part 61E, an outputpart 61F, a speaker 61H and a GPS receiving part 61M are connected to adata bus.

The CPU 61A is adapted to control respective circuit parts in accordancewith programs stored in the memory 61B, the tuner part 61E converts asignal of a frequency band selected by the user from among radiobroadcasting signals received through an antenna (not shown) into anintermediate frequency signal, applies a signal detection processingthereto and supplies the obtained signal to the output part 61F. Theoutput part 61F amplifies the broadcasting signal obtained by the tunerpart 61E to a prescribed level and transmits an audio signal S61F thusamplified to the speaker 61H. Thus, a voice transmitted as the radiobroadcasting signal is outputted from the speaker 61H.

Further, the GPS receiving part 61M is adapted to specify the positionof the broadcasting radio receiver 61 on the basis of the correlation ofsignals transmitted from a plurality of satellites.

Then, with the memory card 11 mounted, the CPU 61A accumulates theattribute information of radio programs included in the radio programselected by the user, the time thereof and radio broadcasting signals,the identifying information and positional information of thebroadcasting radio receiver 61, etc. in the fifth area AR15 (FIG. 3) ofthe memory 11A of the memory card 11 as the use record information (uselog).

As described above, the user mounts the memory card 11 peculiar to theuser on each of the terminal units (the personal computers 12 and 47,the television set 13, the cellular phone 31 and the broadcasting radioreceiver 61) and employs these terminal units, so that each terminalunit writes its use log in the memory card 11.

Therefore, the use record in each terminal unit is accumulated in thememory card 11 peculiar to the user as the use log. Then, each terminalunit transmits the use log and the past profile information of thememory card 11 to the profile analysis server 22 of the service provider21 through the telephone line 15 every prescribed timing, together witha user ID as the network connection information described above withreference to FIG. 3. At this time, each terminal unit transmits terminaltype data previously stored in the memory of the terminal unit,information for specifying transmitting means and information forspecifying the terminal composed of the telephone number of atransmitter in a terminal unit side to the profile analysis server 22.

In this connection, the personal computers 12 and 47 are designed toutilize a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) whichis the general purpose protocol of the Internet in a communication withthe service provider 21, or to further utilize a Point to Point Protocol(PPP) in the case where a communication line is the telephone line 15.

Further, the cellular phone 31 is designed to use a Dual Tone MultipleFrequency (DTMF) or a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP).

Still further, the broadcasting radio receiver 61 is not provided withmeans for transmitting information. Therefore, after the use record (uselog) in the broadcasting radio receiver 61 is stored in the memory card11, it is transmitted to the profile analysis server 22 at a prescribedtiming when the memory card 11 is mounted on other terminal units.

As shown in FIG. 9, the profile analysis server 22 includes a CPU 22A, amemory 22B, a communication interface 22C and a profile analysisprocessing part 21D which are connected to a data bus. The CPU 22A isadapted to control respective circuit parts in accordance with programsstored in the memory 22B.

Specifically, the CPU 22A of the profile analysis server 22 stores uselog and past profile information in the memory card 11 transmitted fromthe terminal units (the personal computers 12 and 47, the television set13 or the cellular phone 31) on which the memory card is mounted in theprofile analysis processing part 21D, and then generates new profileinformation on the basis of the use log and the past profileinformation.

In this case, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the use log UL represents theuse record information of the terminal units written in the memory 11Aof the memory card 11 when the memory card 11 is mounted on a variety ofterminal units. Further, profile information up to that time(hereinafter referred to as past profile information) PRI is indicativeof a result obtained from the previous analysis of the profile analysisserver 22.

Then, the profile analysis processing part 21D adds the use log UL tothe past profile information PR1 to form new profile information PR2.Thus, the CPU 22A returns the new profile information PR2 generated inthe profile analysis processing part 22D to the terminal unit as itstransmitter.

The CPU of the terminal unit overwrites the new profile information PR2returned from the profile analysis server 22 on the memory 11A of thememory card 11 to write the new profile information PR2 in place of thepast profile information PR1. At this time, the CPU of the terminal uniterases the use log written in the memory 11A of the memory card 11.Subsequently, the user accumulates the new use record of the terminalunit every time the user employs the terminal unit.

In such a manner, the user mounts the memory card 11 in which the newprofile information PR2 is stored on desired terminal units (thepersonal computers 12 and 47, the television set 13, the cellular phone31 or the broadcasting radio receiver 61) and employs the terminal unit.At this time, the CPU of the terminal unit is adapted to select providedinformation corresponding to the tendency of taste of the profileinformation (namely, the user having the memory card 11) from amongvarious kinds of provided information transmitted from the serviceprovider 21 or the contents provider 50.

More specifically, to the provided information transmitted form theservice provider 21 or the contents provider 50, is added its attribute(genre) information. The CPU of the terminal unit selects the providedinformation, that the attribute information of which corresponds to theprofile information stored in the memory card 11 from among the receivedprovided information. Thus, the user selects and obtains the providedinformation so as to meet the taste of the user in the terminal unitwithout a troublesome operation that the user himself selects theprovided information. Parenthetically, FIG. 11 shows the profile PR1 andthe new profile PR2 of FIG. 10 in a different representation method.

Further, FIG. 12 shows the arrangement of a storing part of the profileinformation and the use log and a profile analyzing function part in thenetwork system 10. In this embodiment, the memory card 11 accumulatesthe profile information and the use log and the service provider 21 hasthe profile analysis server 22 as the profile analyzing function part.

In the network system 10, the profile information and the use log aspersonal information are accumulated in the memory card 11 personallypossessed by the user. Thus, the leakage of these personal informationis prevented.

In this connection, in the network system 10, are used codes which canbe decoded only by both terminal units carrying out a communication. Ina coding system, a secret key (common key) coding system or a public keycoding system is employed.

The secret key coding system is a system for transmitting and receivingcode data using the same key by a transmitting side and a receivingside. A key employed when the data is encoded is not opened. As specificexamples thereof, a Data Encryption Standard (DES) or a triple DES isexemplified. These secret key systems effectively rapidly perform codingand decoding processing.

Further, the public key coding system uses two types of keys includingthe secret key and the public key to encode data. Specifically, thereare exemplified systems such as RSA, RC2 or RC4, etc. In the public keycoding system, when components (for instance, a service provider, acommunications company and terminal units, etc.) are increased, the keycan be effectively managed with ease.

In the above described configuration, when the user employs, forinstance, the television set 13 or the personal computer 12 in his home,he mounts the memory card 11 owned by him on the television set 13 orthe personal computer 12 and uses these terminal units. At this time, inthe memory card 11, is accumulated the use log as the terminal userecord of the user concerning the television set 13 or the personalcomputer 12.

Further, when the user makes use of the personal computer 47 of thecompany, he mounts the memory card 11 owned by him on the personalcomputer 47 to employ it. At this time, in the memory card 11, isaccumulated the use log as the terminal use record of the userconcerning the personal computer 47.

In such a way, the user mounts the memory card 11 on the terminal unitemployed by the user, so that the use record of various terminal unitsis accumulated in the memory card 11 as the use log.

The use log accumulated over a variety of terminal units is indicativeof information representing the tendency of information obtained by theuser in various kinds of usual scenes. This information is transmittedto the profile analysis server 22 of the service provider 21 from theterminal unit at a prescribed timing when the user mounts the memorycard 11 on any of the terminal units.

Every time the use log and the past profile are transmitted to theprofile analysis server 22 from any terminal unit, the profile analysisserver 22 generates new profile information from these pieces ofinformation, immediately returns the newly generated profile informationto the terminal unit as the transmitter and stores it in the memory card11. Thus, the accuracy of the profile information of the memory card 11is improved due to the increase of the number of times of use of theterminal unit by the user.

When new profile information is generated in the profile analysis server22, the profile analysis server 22 does not leave the use log, the pastprofile information and the new profile, so that the use log or theprofile as the personal information of the user is left in the memorycard 11 owned by the user and the secret thereof is kept.

Further, each of the terminal units (the personal computers 12 and 47,the television set 13, the cellular phone 31 and the broadcasting radioreceiver 61) is adapted to select and obtain provided information inaccordance with the profile information of the memory card 11.Therefore, even when the user makes use of any terminal unit, the usermounts the memory card 11 in which the profile information is stored onthe terminal unit so that he can get the information peculiar to theuser.

As described above, the accumulating means (the memory 11A) of the uselog obtained when the user employs the terminal unit and the profileinformation generated by the profile analysis server 22 and the profileanalysis server 22 constitute the user information processing system andthe accumulating means (the memory 11A) and the profile analysis server22 are provided in separate devices (the memory card 11 and the serviceprovider 21), hence the secrecy of information and the efficiency ofinformation processing can be ensured.

Accordingly, in accordance with the above described configuration, aninformation providing system employing the personal information moreeffectively can be realized.

Further, the profile analysis server 22 is provided in the serviceprovider 21 side, so that the size of the terminal unit can be preventedfrom being enlarged.

In the above described embodiment, although there is described a case inwhich the memory card 11 is provided with a function for accumulatingthe use log and the profile information as shown in FIG. 12, it shouldbe noted that the present invention is not limited thereto, and theservice provider 21 can be provided with a function for accumulating theprofile information and each terminal unit can have a function foraccumulating the use log, as shown in FIG. 13. In this case, the memorycard 11 for accumulating the use log and the profile information is notrequired and, for instance, a network system 10 as shown in FIG. 14 isconfigured.

In such a network system 10, a memory 11A for accumulating the use logis provided in each terminal unit. Use log when the user employs theterminal unit is accumulated in the memory 11A of the employed terminalunit.

Then, the terminal unit transmits the use log accumulated in the memory11A to the profile analysis server 22 of a service provider 21 for everyprescribed timing. The service provider 21 has a memory 11A′ for storingprofile information generated by the profile analysis server 22,generates new profile information on the basis of the use logtransmitted form the terminal unit and past profile information storedin the memory 11A′ and writes it in the memory 11A′.

In this case, a contents provider 50 reads out the necessary profileinformation of the user from the memory 11A′ of the service provider 21and transmits provided information according to the profile information(namely, provided information corresponding to the taste of the user) toa prescribed terminal unit on the basis of user information (employedterminal or the like) stored in the memory 11A′ so as to meet theprofile information.

Thus, the contents provider 50 can transmit the provided informationcorresponding to the taste of the user to the terminal used by the user.

Further, as shown in FIG. 15, the memories 11A and 11A′ for storing theprofile information can be provided in both the service provider 21 andthe memory card 11, or a profile analysis processing part 22D can beprovided in a terminal unit 12 (13, 31, 47) as shown in FIG. 16.

In this connection, FIG. 17 shows an effect in each of the arrangementexamples of respective components (service providing function,behavioral pattern analysis server, behavioral pattern, position log andposition specifying function).

In the above described embodiment, although the profile analysis server22 is provided in the service provider 21, needless to say, the presentinvention is not limited thereto, and it can be provided in a variety ofinformation providing means.

Further, in the above described embodiment, although there is describeda case in which as means for accumulating the use log, the memory card11 of a PCMCIA standard is employed, it should be noted that the presentinvention is not limited thereto, and other kinds of storing media suchas other memory cards of various standards, stick shaped storing means,etc. can be applied thereto.

Still further, in the above described embodiment, although there isdescribed a case in which the format storing means (the memory card 11)is detachably attached to the terminal unit, it should be recognizedthat the present invention is not limited thereto, and storing means(the accumulating means of the use log) can be incorporated in theterminal unit itself.

Still further, in the above described embodiment, although there isdescribed a case in which the television set 13, the personal computers12 and 47, the cellular phone 31 and the broadcasting radio receiver 61are used as the terminal units, needless to say, the present inventionis not limited thereto, and various kinds of terminal units such as aPersonal Digital Assistant (PDA) in which for instance, the informationof a schedule, a telephone directory, etc. can be viewed and read byitself or a car navigation system, etc. can be employed.

As mentioned above, according to the present invention, the terminal userecord information obtained when the user employs the terminal unit isaccumulated, the profile information of the user is generated on thebasis of the accumulated terminal use record information and thegenerated profile information is stored, so that information peculiar tothe user can be provided on the basis of the profile information of theuser.

While there has been described in connection with the preferredembodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in theart that various changes and modifications may be aimed, therefore, tocover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications as fallwithin the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An information processing apparatus comprisingone or more processors and one or more storage devices operablyconfigured: to store a plurality of types of user profile informationincluding use history information and terminal information; to receivenew use history information; to analyze the new use history information;to create new user profile based on the new use history information andthe plurality of types of user profile information; and to provide atleast content information using the new user profile.
 2. The informationprocessing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the use historyinformation includes at least one of viewing history information,selecting information, searching information and terminal positioninformation.
 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim1, wherein the apparatus overwrites a currently stored user profile withthe new user profile.
 4. The information processing apparatus accordingto claim 1, wherein the one or more storage units includes a removablememory card.
 5. The information processing apparatus according to claim1, wherein the content information includes user taste tendencyinformation relating to content consumption.
 6. The informationprocessing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the user tastetendency information includes content genre information.
 7. A method ofprocessing information, comprising, using a specially configuredinformation processing device: storing on one or more storage devices aplurality of types of user profile information for a user including usehistory information and terminal information; receiving new use historyinformation via a terminal accessed by the user; analyzing the new usehistory information; creating a new user profile for the user based onthe new use history information and the plurality of types of userprofile information; and providing at least content information usingthe new user profile.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the use historyinformation includes at least one of viewing history information,selecting information, searching information and terminal positioninformation.
 9. The method of claim 7, wherein the processing deviceoverwrites a currently stored user profile with the new user profile.10. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more storage unitsincludes a removable memory card.
 11. The method of claim 7, wherein thecontent information includes user taste tendency information relating tocontent consumption.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the user tastetendency information includes content genre information.
 13. A computerproduct for use in an information processing device with one or moreprocessors and one or more storage units, the product including computerexecutable instructions of causing the processing device to: store onone or more storage devices a plurality of types of user profileinformation for a user including use history information and terminalinformation; receive new use history information via a terminal accessedby the user; analyze the new use history information; create a new userprofile for the user based on the new use history information and theplurality of types of user profile information; and provide at leastcontent information using the new user profile.
 14. The computer programproduct of claim 13, wherein the use history information includes atleast one of viewing history information, selecting information,searching information and terminal position information.
 15. Thecomputer program product of claim 13, wherein the processing deviceoverwrites a currently stored user profile with the new user profile.16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the one or morestorage units includes a removable memory card.
 17. The computer programproduct of claim 13, wherein the content information includes user tastetendency information relating to content consumption.
 18. The computerprogram product of claim 17, wherein the user taste tendency informationincludes content genre information.